NRCC chief jokes about 'white guys'

The House Republican campaign chief joked about the skin color of Princeton University basketball players as he introduced New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at closed-door session of GOP lawmakers Tuesday morning, according to multiple sources who were present.

"How often can you go see a bunch of white guys play basketball?" Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) said of seeing the Ivy League school's hoops team play, sources told POLITICO. One said at least two black GOP House candidates were in attendance at the time — but there was no rebuke of Sessions from his colleagues.

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One source noted that Sessions also said the game was "played entirely below the rim."

New Jersey Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell described the comments as clearly inappropriate.

"Any high-school-educated American understands the innuendo and is not mistaken by the interpretation," said Pascrell, whose district does not include Princeton. "I'm sure he does not speak for most Republicans."

Paul Lindsay, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said it was all in jest.

“Chairman Sessions was making a lighthearted reference to a Princeton basketball game he attended during his time living in New Jersey. Apparently white men couldn’t jump then, and they still can’t jump today,” Lindsay said.